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flanquer

to throw, to land (a blow)

verb flahn-KEH Rare
People & Society Crime

Also means

to flank, to be on the side of

Usage Note

Flanquer has a colloquial sense of throwing or delivering something forcefully: flanquer une gifle ('to give a slap'), flanquer quelqu'un à la porte ('to throw someone out'). In more formal/architectural contexts it means to flank a building. The two registers are clearly distinct.

Examples

"Il lui a flanqué une gifle."

Natural Translation

He slapped him.

Literal Translation

He threw him a slap.

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